Thursday, October 15, 2009

Malawians celebrate mother’s day

Malawi President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika and his Vice Joyce Banda. Banda confessed at the Mangochi rally that without Bingu, she would not have been the country's Vice President.Pic exclusively by Malawi Digest.

By Lucy Liponda

Malawians from all walks of life today, Thursday, took time-off their busy schedules to celebrate Mother’s Day, an annual event remembering all mothers.

The main celebrations took place at Makawa Primary School in Traditional Authority Mponda, in the lake side district of Mangochi.

Malawi President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika led the nation in these celebrations where he took to task men who resort to wife battering whenever differences arise in the family.

Speaking during the ceremony, the Malawian leader said that he was not amused with reports that women were being victimised by men in the country.

He condemned all acts of violence on women in this southern African country.

“Interestingly, most men who abuse their wives are those that are afraid to face fellow men at work. These men who beat up their wives are cowards,” said the State President to the ululation of the huge crowd that gathered at Makawa.

He said men need to show love to their wives and treat them with at most respect.

“If you feel your family differences are irretrievable then it’s better you agree to part ways other that resort to torturing your wife,” said the Ngwazi.

The State President said that there was a long list of things every human being can mention on how valuable their mothers were in their respective lives.

“For me to reach this far as President it’s all because of one person, my mother. Though dead, I still value her greatly,” he said.

The President also did not spare the women themselves for abuse of children.

“I am aware of children being ill-treated by some women. They are being denied food and forced to sleep outside houses,” said the President who appealed to parents to bring up their children in love and in the most responsible manner.

Speaking earlier, Malawi Vice President Joyce Banda thanked the State President for recognising Malawian women in a special way by entrusting them with decision making positions in the country.

The Vice President mentioned herself, the Attorney General, Clerk of Parliament, female cabinet ministers, deputy Speaker of Parliament among many others as some of women highly recognised by Dr Mutharika.

“Without you Sir in appointing me, I would not have been Vice President of Malawi,” she said.

Banda said that not only did Dr Mutharika make her Vice President of the country, but he also entrusted her with huge responsibilities for the country.

"I am not just a figure head Vice President but also entrusted with huge responsibilities for Malawi including issues to do with disaster preparedness and HIV/Aids among many others," she confessed.

The Bingu wa Mutharika administration has declared 15 October as a national holiday remembering all mothers in the country.

During the Bakili Muluzi era, the day was celebrated on Monday of the second week of October.

Mother’s Day was set by former late President of Malawi Ngwazi Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda.

Then, the day was being celebrated on 17 October which many people describe to be the birth day for former official hostess, Mama Cecilia Tamanda Kadzamira before Bakili Muluzi changed it to the first Monday of the second week of October-Malawi Digest.

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